Do I dare... get a dwarf gourami?

[callisto9]

I was at PetSmart over lunch getting some bloodworms for my peacock gudgeons and I saw many gouramis - flame, blue, dwarf, kissing, honey... I about died. My LFS doesn't really carry them because he says they are prone to so many problems.

I finally got to see the dwarfs up-close and personal. They are marked insanely cheap - like $2 or so.

I want one so bad. Am I just setting myself up for heartache? Are they on sale because of the poor quality?

 

[Fishy monkey]

I know your tank is relatively new so I'm gonna say wait till its established, but I'm a novice myself!
I bought 2 dg's when my tank was 3 months old, one died about 3 weeks later really suddenly, no idea why, the other one lasted about another month then went a weird brown colour and died a day or 2 later. That was at the same time that most of my community was wiped out by an unknown bug of some sort :-(
I've since found out about dg disease, so I'd be really reluctant to get another.
That's just my personal experience though, aside from that I know very little about them!

 

[callisto9]

Yes, I'm only about a month into my tank, and it's cycled and about 80% stocked according to AqAdvisor.

I don't mind waiting...but how long would you advice? A few weeks? Months?

Thanks for your input. Where did you get yours?

 

[Fishy monkey]

I personally would treat them like neon tetras and wait till 6 months.
I'm in the UK, and lucky enough to live just 5 mins drive from a LFS that was voted top in a fish keeping magazine... Although they do sometimes give me advice that goes against everything I read here!
Good luck if you do get some, but I hope someone who knows more on them will give you their input

 

[callisto9]

I'm taking any and all suggestions at this point. Why 6 mos. on neon tetras?

 

[Fishy monkey]

Cos they're sensitive fish apparently, I read it on here that they need a 6 month established tank, although I've bought 7 when my tank had just finished cycling and they lasted quite well, at least until my first botch up!

 

[Rivercats]

I love the look of dwarf gourami's but with all the disease issues I wouldn't risk that georgeous tank of your, especially not with your gudgeons. If you really wanted a dwarf gourami I'd look for a Honey dwarf gourami, they also come in Sunset and Golden Honey color varieties.

 

[callisto9]

Thanks all. The LFS did have honeys, but he didn't want to just sell me one - he wanted to sell me them as a pair - a male and a female.

All signs seem to point to 'no' at this point for me an a dwarf gourami. I about died when I saw them though - they are so beautiful.

 

[callisto9]

I do have a quarantine tank I can put it in for awhile. Don't know if that would help.

Can you tell how bad I want one?

 

[Coco1019]

I personally would treat them like neon tetras and wait till 6 months.

Seriously? They're the only fish my husband has requested and I promised we would get them after my tank has finished its "I have a stupid owner that didn't look into cycling and has many guppies" cycle. I don't think I can wait 6 months to get some new fish...

 

[Rivercats]

Thanks all. The LFS did have honeys, but he didn't want to just sell me one - he wanted to sell me them as a pair - a male and a female.

All signs seem to point to 'no' at this point for me an a dwarf gourami. I about died when I saw them though - they are so beautiful.

Thats so irritating but I know they do it because everyone wants to buy the males and stores get stuck with females that no one wants. I had to buy my Rachovii killi's that way.

 

[JennMc]

I was at PetSmart over lunch getting some bloodworms for my peacock gudgeons and I saw many gouramis - flame, blue, dwarf, kissing, honey... I about died. My LFS doesn't really carry them because he says they are prone to so many problems.

I finally got to see the dwarfs up-close and personal. They are marked insanely cheap - like $2 or so.

I want one so bad. Am I just setting myself up for heartache? Are they on sale because of the poor quality?

I am fairly novice at fish keeping but had gouramis in past (dwarf, blue and kissing) and have 2 dwarf right now, one red flame, one powder blue. I love them! I got them at Petsmart but I'm in Canada, maybe our stock are coming from a different region, we've had them a couple months and they are running the tank, very healthy, though a bit aggressive at times. But the stuff I've read lately says the other (non-dwarf) gourami are hardier, and they are equally attractive! My kissing gourami used to eat out of my hand. I wish I could get another one but they seem hard to find now. Maybe once we get a bigger tank....

 

[_skyla_]

I have one dwarf gourami and he went in the tank as soon as the cycle was complete which didnt take long as i used seeded filter media. Hes done great no problems with him whatsoever. I just picked the most active healthy looking boy. I think get one and just quarantine him i know they have a bad rep but i love them

 

[joyaust]

Seriously this is going to sound strange but at such a bargain price I would risk it they are gorgeous fish I had one I put into a community tank relatively new with some guppies and angel fish, the only reason he moved on was he got stuck between the filter an the glass and at $15-$20 here I just haven't afforded to replace him, but if I could get them for $2.00 I would buy 5

 

[callisto9]

Seriously? They're the only fish my husband has requested and I promised we would get them after my tank has finished its "I have a stupid owner that didn't look into cycling and has many guppies" cycle. I don't think I can wait 6 months to get some new fish...

Yeah, that sounded weird to me, too. As long as you're cycled, I thought it was OK to add fish. I've never heard of tetras needing a longer wait time.

Thats so irritating but I know they do it because everyone wants to buy the males and stores get stuck with females that no one wants. I had to buy my Rachovii killi's that way.

I don't blame him, because honestly, that's what I was going to do.

I am fairly novice at fish keeping but had gouramis in past (dwarf, blue and kissing) and have 2 dwarf right now, one red flame, one powder blue. I love them! I got them at Petsmart but I'm in Canada, maybe our stock are coming from a different region, we've had them a couple months and they are running the tank, very healthy, though a bit aggressive at times. But the stuff I've read lately says the other (non-dwarf) gourami are hardier, and they are equally attractive! My kissing gourami used to eat out of my hand. I wish I could get another one but they seem hard to find now. Maybe once we get a bigger tank....

Thanks for the good report!

I have one dwarf gourami and he went in the tank as soon as the cycle was complete which didnt take long as i used seeded filter media. Hes done great no problems with him whatsoever. I just picked the most active healthy looking boy. I think get one and just quarantine him i know they have a bad rep but i love them

I want one really, really bad. Seeing them today, lots of them and different kinds, just made me want them more.

Seriously this is going to sound strange but at such a bargain price I would risk it they are gorgeous fish I had one I put into a community tank relatively new with some guppies and angel fish, the only reason he moved on was he got stuck between the filter an the glass and at $15-$20 here I just haven't afforded to replace him, but if I could get them for $2.00 I would buy 5

Yeah, they were super cheap. On sale even, which makes me wonder why they were on sale. I have a spare tank that's cycled... I mean, a life in there would be better than a life at PetSmart, right? I could watch him...make sure he's not sick, and then when all is clear, move him over...

 

[bud29]

If you do get one, I would QT it for about a month, to make sure it is not sick. I know what you mean, though, every time I go to the store It takes everything in me not to buy a dwarf gourami. They look so awesome.........I don't have a QT tank, though, so for me it is just asking for trouble.

 

[Gish]

gouramis

I say go for it. I'm a relative newbie and have kept 4 different gouramis (2 honey, one 3-spot blue, 1 pearl) all doing well going on 7 months now.

I don't keep any cichlids except a single german blue ram, so I am not sure if there are any compatibility issues.

 

[callisto9]

If you do get one, I would QT it for about a month, to make sure it is not sick. I know what you mean, though, every time I go to the store It takes everything in me not to buy a dwarf gourami. They look so awesome.........I don't have a QT tank, though, so for me it is just asking for trouble.

I can QT as long as needed. I want one bad enough to try it. Would two be pushing my luck?

I say go for it. I'm a relative newbie and have kept 4 different gouramis (2 honey, one 3-spot blue, 1 pearl) all doing well going on 7 months now.

I don't keep any cichlids except a single german blue ram, so I am not sure if there are any compatibility issues.

I don't have any cichlids, just guppies, tetras and two peacock gudgeons.

 

[bud29]

I can QT as long as needed. I want one bad enough to try it. Would two be pushing my luck?

I would just stick with one. Get the healthiest looking one there. If you get two, there is a chance you could get 1 healthy one and 1 sick one and both die because the disease was spread.

 

[callisto9]

True, but if one of them was sick and they were in the same tank together, wouldn't they both be sick?